The Forest for the Trees
by cries havoc
Summary: Suzie makes a confession to Moze that rocks both their worlds... eventually. Mozie!
1. Suzie's Confession

Author's Note: I probably shouldn't keep starting stories... Mozie for the win though. Dedicated to Silver Turtle. Also, I'm ignoring the series finale Noze kiss crap.

Jennifer Mosely, Moze to most of her friends, had come a long way since James Polk Middle School. Well, about twenty blocks, really, to James Polk High School. Moze was a junior and things had, seemingly, calmed down since middle school graduation. She was still good friends with Ned Bigby and Cookie, but the boys' antics had begun to wear on Moze during their freshmen year. Gordy the janitor transferred to the high school when they graduated, to keep the team together he said, but Moze just found the same-old-schemes and Ned's never ending quest to work on the Guide tiring.

Moze had finally stopped growing at 5'10'' and, thankfully, now knew boys taller than her. To her, the fact that most of those boys were college friends of her older brother's was irrelevant. Her hair and eyes were still brown. She was still a tomboy. In fact, not much had changed, if Moze thought about it, other than her drifting away from Ned and Cookie and closer to Suzie Crabgrass, her own time rival and more recently best friend. It was because of Suzie that this all started and now Jennifer was confused…

_Five Weeks Prior, Monday_

"Jennifer? I really need to talk to you," Suzie said, eyes shining with what looked like tears. "It's kind of urgent."

Moze sighed and closed her locker. "How can something be kind of urgent, Suzie?" She stopped, taking in her friend's emotional state. No, her best friend's emotional state. Since the boys had become a trio with Gordy instead of her sophomore year, Moze and Suzie had become their own team.

"I don't know. Can we just go to the locker room and talk?" Suzie tugged weakly at her arm.

Moze nodded and led the way to the girl's locker room, where the two volleyball co-captains spent a good deal of time anyway. As expected, it was deserted since the lunch bell had gone off five minutes ago.

"Okay," Moze said, turning to Suzie, who looked nervous and scared, "now what's wrong?"

"I…" Suzie stopped, shaking her head as if to clear it. "I need to tell you something and I'm not sure how you're going to react." Suzie hoped she knew how Jennifer would react, but she wasn't sure. Taking a moment, she remembered all the lingering touches and glances over the years and their animosity-turned-friendship and all the little signs she wasn't sure Jennifer even knew she was sending that made Suzie sure it was time to spill her secret.

"Alright, well, we're best friends, Suz, I could never hate you or anything. I'm always going to be right here. So, tell me." Moze squared her shoulders, wondering what in the hell Suzie could have managed to keep from her.

"I like you."

"Duh."

"No," Suzie said, starting to cry now. "I mean I like you, like Ned likes me. Well," she paused, "not quite like how Ned likes me, because he's kind of creepy about it, but I mean I'm attracted to you," she stuttered slightly and looked up to see surprised written clearly across Jennifer's beautiful face.

"What?" Moze asked, dumbfounded. Suzie Crabgrass could have any boy, hell any girl, she wanted… And Suzie wanted her?

"I'm gay, Jennifer. I figured it out last year when I realized… how I felt about you. It's always been you and I just couldn't bear you not knowing for another day." Suzie felt better, having said it, and she'd stopped crying already, but surprise was not the reaction she'd been hoping for from Jennifer.

"I so don't know what to say, Suzie. I mean, wow. I'm flattered. Let's – let's get lunch while I digest this." She laughed at the inadvertent joke. "Digest. Get it?"

Suzie nodded. "Okay." She started to leave the locker room, but Jennifer pulled her back and into a tight hug.

"This doesn't have to change anything, Suz. I'm still your friend. I just need some time to get over the, well, the shock." Jennifer stopped. "Not that it's a bad thing, but you probably know that already. I just wasn't expecting that."

Suzie nodded her head against Jennifer's shoulder. She inhaled the scent of cucumbers and melon that she loved so dearly.

After a moment longer, Jennifer pulled back, grinned at Suzie, and led her to the cafeteria. "We're still on for Friday night, right? My place?"

"Yeah. Sleepover extravaganza." Suzie tried to be happy, knowing that Jennifer wasn't about to abandon her or anything, but the taller girl was quiet through lunch and seemed distracted the rest of the week. The subject of Suzie's gayness or her crush on Jennifer did not come up in conservation again until late Friday night.


	2. Blackout Part 1

Author's Note: So here's chapter two. This is part one of a two part scene. I decided to break it up so this chapter isn't exceptionally longer than all the rest. Might finish the scene and post chapter three today as well. Any questions, drop me a review or message.

_Five Weeks Prior, Friday_

Moze and Suzie were collapsed on the Moselys' couch watching bad horror movies when the lights went out. Moze's parents were away on vacation and her brothers were at school or friends' houses for the night. No one would be back until the following evening and the girls suddenly had no lights and no heat in the middle of a very cold November.

"What the hell?" Moze jumped when the lights blew.

Next to her, Suzie just shivered. She hadn't really been paying attention to the movie, not since Jennifer had put her arm around the shorter girl in a subconscious way that gave Suzie hope.

"Well, damn. Now what?"

"Candles?" Suzie suggested.

"Yeah, good idea." Moze maneuvered through the living room to the kitchen in the darkness with only a little light from the street streaming in the windows. She returned after some fumbled with a handful of candles her mom kept for emergencies such as tonight. Pulling out a lighter that only Suzie knew she had from the cigarettes only Suzie knew she smoked, she lit two of the candles and set the others down on the table in front of the TV.

"That's better," Moze said, settling back on the couch.

"What do we do now though? I mean," Suzie said hesitantly, "I guess we could just go to bed. IT is almost midnight." She shivered again, wondering at how cold the wood floor of Jennifer's room was going to get tonight, even with blankets.

"Guess so. Come on, then." Moze stood and led the way to her bedroom, stopping to set a candle down on the bathroom sink. The girls changed for bed in relative silence, both a bit spooked and neither willing to admit it.

When Suzie returned from the bathroom a few minutes later, ready for bed, she found Jennifer settled on the floor and the empty bed turned down. "Jennifer?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you on the floor?" Suzie walked over to her friend by the light of the remaining candle, thankful she'd remembered to blow out the one in the bathroom to keep the house from burning down.

"Because it's going to be bitching cold. You can have my bed," Moze said this as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"No."

"What do you mean, 'no'?"

"I mean, no, it's your bed."

Moze chuckled low, a sound that lit a fire in Suzie's stomach. "I know it's mine, but you're sleeping in it tonight. Get over it." She sat up straighter and turned, blowing out the candle before Suzie could argue again.

Suzie sighed and walked to the bed, purposely kicking Jennifer on her way. She crawling into the bed that she'd slept in countless times before, the bed that smelled like Jennifer, the bed she was sleeping in alone. It wasn't quite like her dreams, but she was afraid to push her crush into realizing what Suzie thought was so obvious.

The two girls attempted to sleep, occasionally speaking softly, but neither was able. Suzie shivered again, knowing Jennifer must be freezing on the floor if she was cold in the bed. The Mosely's house was old and not well insulated. Without heat it was going to be a long night.

"I'm cold," Suzie said quietly, wondering if Jennifer was still awake.

"Me too," came the reply from the floor. Moze sat up and tried to stop her chattering teeth. It had been nearly an hour since the lights had gone out. "I'm going to check the basement to see if I can get the lights or the heat back on, and call my folks. I'll be back in a bit."

Suzie nodded in the darkness, knowing Jennifer couldn't see it. She heard the taller girl move closer instead of towards the door and felt the weight of extra blankets.

"We should just share when I get back. It'll be warmer." Moze left, blushing and glad it was dark. All the way down to the basement, which took a while with her brothers' toys everywhere, she wondered if she was doing the right thing. A week ago, they would have shared no problem, but now Suzie had said… Moze shook her head, still a bit shocked that Suzie freaking Crabgrass liked her, and trying not to think about Ned and what he would say if and when he found out.

Having no luck in the creepy basement, which normally wasn't creepy at all, Moze trekked back up the stairs and grabbed her phone off her desk, calling her parents even though it was late.

In the now warmer bed, Suzie sighed, her heart racing at the thought of sleeping in the twin bed with Jennifer.

"Mom? Yeah, we're okay. The lights and the heat cut out about an hour ago. I wanted to let you know and see if there was anything I could do. No. Okay, yeah. Okay, thanks mom. Sorry to wake you. Talk to you tomorrow. Love you, too." Moze hung up the phone, placed it back down, and turned to look at Suzie in the dim light filtering through her curtains.

Suzie shivered again, no longer as cold but nervous, and shifted towards the wall as Jennifer walked towards the bed.

The taller girl all but collapsed into the bed and sighed loudly. "My parents say they'll call someone about the lights and heat tomorrow. For now, there's not really anything we can do."

"Sucks. We better get some sleep then." Suzie turned on her side, facing away from Jennifer and felt her breath catch in her throat when Jennifer turned and wrapped an arm around her waist.

Moze snuggled into Suzie, ignoring the rapid beating of her heart, and sighed again, tickling Suzie's neck with her breath. Both girls were more comfortable than, well, was comfortable, lying together. Suzie knew this was a dream come true in so many ways, but without Jennifer realizing how she felt – how Suzie was so sure she felt, too – it was a disaster waiting to happen.

"G'night, Suz," Moze said, suddenly relaxed and drowsy. She didn't question why being this close to Suzie, curled behind her in bed, made her relax, but it did.

Suzie was quiet and felt Jennifer's breath start to even out as the taller girl fell asleep. It was too much. "Jennifer?"

"Mm, yeah Suzie?"

"Can we talk?" Suzie shivered yet again, this time from the feeling of a half-asleep Jennifer nuzzling her shoulder.

"About what?"

"About what I told you Monday. I think we should talk about it."

Moze was suddenly wide awake again.


	3. Blackout Part 2

Author's Note: Maybe I should have had them as one chapter. Thoughts?

_Five Weeks Prior, Friday_

Moze was suddenly wide awake again. "Now?"

Suzie fiddled with the blankets. "Yes, now."

"No."

"No?"

"Why don't we wait until the morning?" Moze wanted desperately to avoid this conversation for as long as possible because she still didn't really know what to say about it.

"I think we should talk about it now. I mean, for instance, are you really okay sleeping with me?" Suzie tried to ignore the double meaning of her words.

Moze swallowed audibly. "I don't want to talk about it, Suzie. Go to sleep."

Suzie turned in the bed, in Jennifer's arms, frustrated now. "No. Damn it, Jennifer, talk to me. I need to know if we're okay."

"We're fine. Just go to sleep."

Suzie didn't take that as a good enough answer and began to push at Jennifer, trying to disentangle from her arms. Jennifer didn't let go and the two began to scuffle in the bed. Their fight turned to wrestling within moment and after a few minutes of moving around in the small bed, Suzie found herself pinned under Jennifer's strong, lean body. The two stopped moving, panting slightly, and stared into each other's eyes in the darkness.

Moze could make out Suzie's face now and saw the fire in her eyes that made them so compatible. As friends, of course. Because they shared that level of passion. Moze shook her head, hating how confused she felt. If she liked Suzie, wouldn't she have known it before now? How could you like Suzie Crabgrass and not know it? Besides, she used to crush on Ned, dumb as he was, and there had been other guys.

"Now," she said, her voice low and she felt Suzie shiver, "can we wait until the morning to talk? I'm tired."

"I guess I don't have a choice now, do I?" Suzie wanted to be annoyed, but the feeling of Jennifer's body over hers was incredibly distracting. The taller girl had no idea how bad this was for her.

Moze pushed Suzie harder into the bed, getting angry. She wanted this to be over and done with, but at the same time she never wanted to deal with it. "Please, Suzie, just say it's okay."

Biting her lip to keep from gasping, Suzie closed her eyes and nodded. "Fine, it's okay. Just get off me."

Moze scrambled off and sat up on the bed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to actually hurt you."

"You didn't."

The meaning of Suzie's words sunk slowly into Moze's brain and she blushed deeply. The two girls curled up together again and this time Moze noticed the shaky breath Suzie took when she wrapped her am around the smaller girl. This time Moze noticed the warm scent of apples on Suzie's hair that would soon be lulling her to sleep. Moze had a lot of thinking to do.


	4. Pancake Time

Author's Note: Another chapter, woot. I'm really looking forward to the next one.

The next morning Moze and Suzie woke tangled in each others' arms. Sometime during the night Suzie had rolled to face Moze and snuggled closer to the taller girl. Neither girl let her awkwardness show and the two groggily sat up.

"Morning Suzie," Moze said, yawning.

Suzie nodded, suppressing a yawn of her own.

Moze got up and stretched, allowing Suzie to stand as well. The two faced each other silently for a moment before Suzie turned away and attempted to right the bed covers.

"Don't worry about that, Suzie. It's never made." Moze touched Suzie's arm lightly.

"It's always made when I come over," Suzie said, turning.

Moze blushed and gave no reply.

The two girls went downstairs to see that the lights were on again.

"Alright! We don't have to spend the day without heat!" Moze pumped her fist in the air.

Suzie poked her in the side. "I'm hungry."

"So?" Moze asked, biting her cheek to keep from smiling.

"So feed me." Suzie smiled and poked Jennifer again.

"What would you like to eat?" Moze asked innocently.

Suzie blushed after a moment and walked purposely past Jennifer into the kitchen. Her mind was not on food, despite her stomach's protests.

"Suzie?" Moze followed the shorter girl into the kitchen and watched her open the fridge and pantry, searching.

"Do you have... Yes, you do." She turned around triumphantly, holding a box of pancake mix. "It's pancake time."

Moze grinned and rummaged in the fridge for eggs and milk. "Sounds good to me."

The two girls moved around each other in the kitchen rater naturally. An outside observer would think they'd done so a million times before. Soon the pancakes were ready and the two ate in companionable silence.

"So what are you up to next weekend, Suzie?" Moze asked expectantly.

"I don't know. Hanging out with you, probably. Why?" Suzie looked up.

"I'm thinking about doing something kind of crazy and I want you there," Moze said, smiling sheepishly.

Suzie quirked an eyebrow at this, curious and unsure of what Jennifer was getting at.

In a stage whisper, Moze continued, "I want to get my hair cut short."

"What? No way!" Suzie protested immediately.

Moze held up her hands, "No. My mind is made up. I've been thinking about it for a while and I think I need a change." She smiled again, "Please say you'll go with me."

"Of course I will," Suzie sighed, "but how short are we talking?"

"Like buzz short," Moze looked sheepish again, "I want a faux-hawk."

Suzie sat back in her chair, imagining Jennifer with super-short hair. It sounded hot. "Okay."

"Okay? That's it? No more protesting?" Moze looked dubiously across the table at Suzie.

Nodding, Suzie said, "Okay. It's your hair and I'll go with you. I can't promise I'll like the results thought," she lied.

Moze beamed, "Great! Thanks Suzie, I knew I could count on you to be there." Practically Jumping up from the table, Moze grabbed both their empty plates and headed to the sink.

Suzie stood and helped dry and put away the dishes as the two discussed Moze's plan. They agreed to meet next Saturday afternoon to go get Moze's hair cut and talked about how people at school would react. Both agreed it was a drastic change, but Moze seemed convinced and the more Suzie thought on it the more she liked the idea.

"Well," Suzie said about an hour later, "I better head out. Homework and stuff."

Moze nodded, "Okay, I'll walk you out."

The two girls walked to the door and Moze leaned casually against the open frame. "Call me later?" She asked.

"Sure, I'll call you around seven." Suzie took a step out the door and stopped, looking back at Jennifer. "We never talked."

Moze paled slightly. "No, we didn't. I forgot."

"Me too."

"Let's leave it be for now, okay? I still love you and we're still friends, but I need some time to sort a few things out. Is that alright?" Moze asked, frowning.

Suzie blinked at this and nodded. "That's fine. Just let me know when you're ready to talk."

"Okay. Will do."

Suzie pulled Jennifer into a quick hug and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Talk to you later, Jennifer."

Moze blushed and held her cheek as Suzie walked down the street. She definitely had a lot of thinking to do still, but she did know that having Suzie around felt good. Really good. What she didn't know was what that meant for their friendship.


	5. The Haircut

Author's Note: Here's another chapter. I have the next few mapped pretty well in my head. Updates will depend on my schedule. Thanks for the alerts, favorites and reviews so far!

On Saturday around 3 p.m. Suzie pulled into the Mosely's driveway to pick Jennifer up. The week in school had flown by like normal. Well, except for another attempt by Ned to catch her attention that Jennifer had thwarted. She'd told Ned Suzie liked someone else to get him to back off, but refused to say who.

"Hey Suzie!" Moze said, coming out of her house and jogging to the car. She hopped into the passenger seat and grinning at Suzie. "Are you pumped? I am."

Suzie laughed, "Obviously. Okay," she gripped the steering wheel, "let's do this."

They drove to a local salon shop that both had used before.

Getting out of the car, Moze tossed a nervous smile at Suzie. The two girls went inside and up to the reception desk. The salon was decked out with products and magazines, as most salons are. It wasn't a high scale place, but rather it fit into Moze's budget.

"Hello girls, here for a cut?" The receptionist asked, smiling.

"She is," Suzie said, pointing to Jennifer.

"Alright, take a seat and I'll see who's available," the receptionist said, marking something down before moving back to where the stylists and hairdressers were working.

Suzie and Moze each took a seat and waited only a few minutes before a man with stylish shaggy blonde hair approached them.

"So, I hear you're looking for a hair cut," he said to Moze, who smiled and stood.

"That's right. I need a change."

Suzie stood as well, noticing the man had a small rainbow symbol tattooed on his arm.

The girls followed the man back to an empty seat, which Moze took.

"Okay, well, my name is Brian and I'll be taking care of you today," Brian said gamely. "How much of a change are we talking about…"

"Jennifer."

"Jennifer. Okay."

"I want my hair short. Like, shorter than yours," Moze said, pointing to Brian's hair.

The young man's eyes widened slightly, but he smiled and laughed. "Okay, I see. You want to butch it up and you brought your girlfriend along for support." He motioned to Suzie, who hid a smile.

"I wish that were the case. We're just friends," Suzie said easily.

Moze just blushed and nodded in agreement.

"Oh! My mistake," Brian touched his hair awkwardly and made a production of setting Moze up for the cut. "I suppose I shouldn't assume. I must say though, I hope you don't mind, but you two would make an attractive couple."

"I don't mind," Suzie said, leaning against the counter with her arms crossed in front of her.

Moze fidgeted in her seat, not saying anything. She'd been putting off sorting through her own feelings since Suzie had revealed her crush.

"Now, I can do this in one fell swoop if you want. Or would you like it in parts, in case you change your mind?" Brian asked, leaning with his hands on Moze's shoulders.

"No, just do it. I mean, my mind's made up," Moze replied.

"Alright, here we go." Brian set up the clippers and began cutting off the majority of Moze's hair.

Moze closed her eyes, confident in her decision, but still not willing to watch years of hair fall away.

Suzie smiled and wished she could hold Jennifer's hand.

After a few minutes, Brian stepped back and looked Moze over. "How do you want it styled?"

"Faux-hawk," Moze replied, still with her eyes closed.

Brian murmured his approval and resumed working. Just another minute or two later, Brian pronounced his job done.

"You should open your eyes, Jennifer," Suzie said, biting her lip. The short cut highlighted Jennifer's facial structure and looked amazingly hot.

Moze did just that, gasping a bit at the drastic difference in her appearance, but she grinned after a moment.

"You like?" Brian asked.

"Love it, thank you so much!" As soon as Brian cleaned her up and she was able, Moze jumped out of the chair and faced Brian. "Can I hug you?"

Brian laughed, "Sure."

Moze pulled him into a tight hug, still grinning. Stepping back, Moze turned and looked in the mirror again, practically dancing.

"What do you think, Suzie?" She asked.

"I think you look great, Jennifer," Suzie replied, still biting her lip.

Moze tipped Brian generously and the two girls walked up front to settle the bill. Within minutes they were outside again and Suzie looked Jennifer over critically.

Noticing this, Moze stopped walking to the car. "What?"

"Your coat doesn't go anymore," Suzie said, walking a circle around her friend.

"No? I like this coat." Moze looked down at the brown coat and thought about how feminine it seemed now with her new look. Suzie was right, something didn't jive.

"I think 'New Jennifer' needs a black jacket. And some new clothes," Suzie said, tapping a finger on her chin.

"I don't know, Suzie, I don't have much in my budget right now," Moze looked dubiously at her friend.

"So let me pay for it," Suzie replied simply.

"Suzie…"

"I know, I know." Suzie picked up Jennifer's hands in her own, looking up at the taller girl imploringly, "You're no fan of people spending money on you. I know that, but this is a special occasion. 'New Jennifer' shouldn't have to wear old clothes unless she wants to."

Moze thought about it for a few seconds before nodding. "Not too much though, okay?"

Suzie hugged Jennifer quickly, kissing her cheek. "Great! Let's go."

Moze followed Suzie to the call, her face tingling.


	6. Almost Tripping

Author's Note: Here's the next scene. We're getting down to it. I need to make sure I space it enough, but I hope you all like this one. Please check out my holiday Mozie, too!

After an excited drive to the mall, Suzie and Jennifer were soon deep in the middle of another shopping trip. Suzie's family, while not disgustingly rich, had allowed Suzie a credit card as long as she paid part of it with money she earned from her after-school babysitting jobs. The card had a $400 limit and Suzie planned to spend as much as necessary to make her Jennifer over.

For her part, Moze was bouncing between enjoying being with Suzie and finally thinking about why she enjoyed the other girl's company so much. It was a confusing question for her, because it had never seemed before that liking her so much meant anything other than that they were good friends. It still might just mean that, for her, but since Suzie had opened her eyes to the possibilities of what could be, Moze found herself torn between the comfort of what she knew and the heat she felt around Suzie.

"Oh, try this one, Jennifer!" Suzie pulled a black faux-leather jacket off the rack. It had two faded striped across the breast and down the sleeves, one red and one gray. Otherwise it was black and, in Suzie's opinion, it was bad ass.

"I don't know, Suzie, isn't that kind of Huge Crew?" Moze asked, referencing the group of would-be thugs that had terrorized James Polk Middle School.

"Psst, no way. They wouldn't wear something this cool." Suzie took the jacket off the hanger and motioned for Jennifer to remove her old coat.

"Okay, okay," Moze took her coat off and took the jacket from Suzie. "Oh, cool, there's an inside breast pocket," Moze said, examining the jacket before slipping it on. It didn't fit perfectly, the sleeves were a bit long, but Moze turned to Suzie for assessment anyway. The tan girl was grinning.

"Oh, we have a winner. That looks fabulous on you." Suzie laced her fingers together, squeezing her hands against one another, resisting the urge to touch Jennifer. It didn't really matter where, thought Suzie could think of a few choice places, she just wanted to feel the taller girl under her hands. They bought the jacket and continued shopping, picking up a few shirts and a new pair of dark wash jeans. Suzie refused to let Jennifer fret over the prices and calmly rehearsed in her head how she would explain this splurge to her parents. _You see, Mom, Dad, I think Jennifer is finally starting to come around to the idea of us being lesbian lovers and I wanted to buy her affections_. Yeah, that would work well.

"Suzie?"

"Yes, Jennifer?" Suzie looked over at Moze, who was looking a bit scared.

"How did you know you were gay?" Moze asked, softly.

Suzie almost tripped, clearly not expecting that question. Jennifer grabbed her and held her arms. Looking up at the taller girl, Suzie sighed. "Times like this, actually." Suzie put her hands on Jennifer's upper arms, hoping she wouldn't scare her crush off.

"What do you mean?" Moze felt her heart racing.

"When I'm close to you, I feel this… heat. This warmth. It's incredible." Suzie pressed herself into Jennifer's arms, feeling them close around her, pulling her close.

"But isn't that what we've always had?" Moze asked, less confused now and more scared.

"Yes, that's my point. I mean," Suzie pulled back, hoping she hadn't pushed too far, "for me that's the point. My feelings for you have always been there, I just didn't realize what they were. Not really."

Moze nodded and absentmindedly kissed Suzie's forehead. "Thanks. That helps, I think."

Suzie blushed and look Jennifer's hand, walking towards an exit of the mall. "No problem, babe."


End file.
